Sorting apparatus



Sept. 11, 1934.. M Q HANSON 1,973,?

S ORT ING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VENTOR ATTORNE Y3 War/W -K apt M, 1934..

M. c. HANSON 1,973,206

SORTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR /7m-f//7f, #4173017 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1934 PATENT; OFFICE SORTINGAPPARATUS Mai-tin 0. Hanson, Grand Rapids, Mich., as-

slgnor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Electric Sorting MachineCompany, a corporation of Michigan Application February 27, 1930, SerialNo. 431,752

6 Claims.

The main object of this invention is to provide a sorting apparatuswhich is well adapted for use in sorting beans, the fractured ordiscolored beans being rejected or removed by the machine.

A further object is to provide a machine of this character which is oflarge capacity. Objects pertaining to details and economies of myinvention will definitely appear from the description to follow. Theinvention is defined in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation and apartial diagrammatic view of myimproved sorting apparatus or machine, certain parts being shown inconventional-form.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan viewillustrating details of the feedingmeans.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partially in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of my apparatus illustrated, 1 represents a hopper forthe beans or other articles to be sorted. This hopper has a deliveryspout 2 through which the articles to be sorted flow by gravity to thecylinder 3, the spout opening to the periphery of this cylinder.

Within the cylinder is a feed wheel 4 having a series of peripheralpockets 5 therein of such size as to receive a single bean or otherarticle to be sorted, advancing it to the discharge opening 6 in thebottom of the cylinder. The cylinder is arranged above the conveyor belt7 supported by the pulleys 8 and 9. The pulley 8 has a beveled gear 10thereon meshing with the gear 11 on the vertical shaft 12.

This shaft 12 is driven from the motor 13, the shaft 14 of which has aworm l5 meshing with the worm wheel 16 on the lower end of the shaft 12.On its upper end the shaft is provided with a gear 17 meshing with agear 18 on the upper end of the spindle 19 of the feed wheel 4.

Above the conveyor belt I provide a pair of spaced guide members 20which permit the articles to be sorted to travel along singly so thatthey are delivered singly to the inclined sorting chute 21. This sortingchute has a reflector 22 interposed therein which is preferably in theform of a prism, the sides other than 'the surface being silvered orotherwise treated to provide a prismatic mirror. This prismatic mirroris mounted in the V shaped holder 23.

The guides 20 overlap the chute 21 and supple- 55 mentary guides 24 arespaced from the ends of the guides 20 leaving an opening or gate 25 inthe sorting way.

The ejector 26 is mounted on the pivotally supported armature 27 of theelectromagnet 28, the coiled spring 29 acting to normally retract theejector.

I provide a light projecting means designated generally by the numeral30 adapted to project the light upon the reflector and the articlesthereon. This light projecting means is shown conventionally, and, asthe details form no part of this invention, they are not describedherein.

I also provide a photo-electric cell designated generally by the numeral31 operatively associated with the reflector so that when a bean orother object travels across the reflector, if it be discolored or brokenso as to result in a discolored or exposed interior portion, less lightis reflected into the photo-electric cell.

The light projecting means, reflector and photo-electrio cell arearranged as illustrated so that the direct reflection by the reflectorof the poweriul light from the light projecting means into thephoto-electric cell is prevented.

An amplifying or relay unit designated generally by the numeral 32 isconnected to the photo-electric cells through the electrical connections33 and 34, and to the electromagnet through the electrical connections35 and 36. A battery or source of electric supply 37 is provided in-theconnection 36. The relay unit switch of the unit 32 is indicated at 38so that when an imperfect bean is presented on the reflector, its actionon the photo-electric cell is to lessen the current flowing in theamplifying and relay circuits, thus releasing the relay and closing thecircuits 35 and 36 and thereby actuating the electromagnet andconsequently the ejector.

I have shown certain parts of my apparatus in conventional form forconvenience in illustration. Inasmuch as the details thereof, such asthe details of the amplifying and relay units, light projector unit, andphoto-electric cell unit form no part of this invention and may be hadas assembled units, I have not described the same herein.

I have not attempted to illustrate various modifications and adaptationsof my improvements which I contemplateas it is believed that thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt thesame asmay be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sorting apparatus, the combination of mirror simultaneously, anejector operatively associated with said sorting chute, anelectromagnetfor actuating said ejector, and a control means for said electromagnetoperatively associated with said photo-electric cell.

2. In a sorting apparatus, the combination of a sorting chute having aprismatic mirror inter posed therein so that the articles travel acrossthe mirror and their under sides are reflected 'thereabove, means forprojecting light upon said mirror to illuminate the entire surface ofthe articles, a photo-electric cell operatively associated with saidmirror to receive light reflected from the articles and mirrorsimultaneously, the light projecting means, mirror and photo-electriccell being arranged so that the light from the light projecting means isnot directly reflected by the mirror into the photo-electric cell, anejector operatively associated with said sorting chute, anelectro-magnet for actuating said ejector, and a control means for saidelec-,

tromagnet operatively associated with said photoelectric cell.

3. In a bean sorting apparatus, the combination of a sorting way havinga prism interposed therein so that the beans pass across the surfacethereof one by one, means for projecting light upon said prism, aphoto-electric cell operatively associated with said prism, the lightprojecting means, prism and photo-electric cell being arranged so thatthe light from the light projecting means is not directly reflected bythe prism into the photo-electric cell, and an ejector means 45operatively associated with said photo-electric cell to be controlledthereby, said prism having its sides silvered for reflecting the undersurfaces of the articles and obviating the direct reflection of thepowerful light into the photo-electric cell.

4. In a sorting apparatus, the combination of an inclined reflector,means for delivering articles to be sorted one by one to said reflector,means for projecting light upon said reflector to illuminate the bottomsurfaces of the articles, a photo-electric cell operatively associatedwith said reflector, the light projecting means, reflector andphoto-electric cell being arranged so that the light from the lightprojecting means is not directly reflected by the reflector into thephotoelectric cell, an ejector, an electro-magnet for actuating saidejector, and a control means for said electromagnet operativelyassociated with said photo-electric cell;

5. In a bean sorting apparatus, the combination with a photo-electriccell and a light source, of a prism over which the beans are adapted topass, illuminated by'said light source and having its inclined sidessilvered to illuminate the under surfaces of the beans by reflectedlight and to re-' flect the light from said under surfaces into said 1photo-electric cell, the light source, prism and photo-electric cellbeing arranged to prevent the direct reflection by the prism of thepowerful light from said light source into said photo-electric cell. 106

6. In a sorting apparatus, the combination with a photo-electric celland a light source, of a prism over which the articles to be sorted areadapted to pass, illuminated by said light source I and having itsinclined sides arranged to illuminatethe under surfaces of the articlesby reflected light and to reflect the light from said under surfacesinto said photo-electric cell, the light source, prism andphoto-electric cell being arranged to prevent the direct reflection bythe prism of the powerful light from said light source into saidphoto-electric cell, and sorting means controlled'by said photo-electriccell.

MARTIN C. HANSON. 1

